During the development of the plans for the Embassy, the scientific
research bureaux of Canada was temporarily managing an ancient
factory situated directly in front of the future legation. Eugène
Beaudouin, the architect and town planner in charge of the project,
wanted to found his plans in harmony with the general physiognomy
of the land, and asked the government of Canada what they had
planned, in the next few years, for the factory.

At the end of the meeting with the Federal Commission of Urbanism,
the Canadian government requested from Beaudouin a sketch of the
developments to be made for the surroundings of the Rideau Falls.
He sent them a complete report. On October 1936, he met the Canadian
Prime Minister, Mackenzie King, in London, and showed him his
sketches. Mackenzie King was convinced.

View of the Ottawa River’s
southern shore

Shortly after, the work had begun. The development design that
the Canadian government had planned corresponded, in general,
to what Beaudouin had hoped for and even went, in some cases,
above his expectations : the old factories where the government’s
Scientific Bureaux were located were demolished, Sussex road was
widened, and became a large avenue connecting the downtown area
to the residential hill in Rockliffe.

These works increased the value of the legation : thanks to demolishing
the factories, the view of the Rideau Falls and Parliament Hill
opened. The land in front of the Embassy was turned into a public
garden.